Type-writing machine.



E. G. LANA.

TYPE WRlTING MACIHNE.

APPLICATION nuzn JUNE I0. 1916.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918 um Sw I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

E. G. LANA.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION men JUNE :0. 191a.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEEI 2.

mmvron Emmi/i G A TTORNE VS E. G. LATTA. IY'PE wnmms MACHlNE.

PLICATlDii FILED JUNE 10. ISIS.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEEI 3- lllIIJl mm! a. LATTA, or srmcosn, NEW Y ORK, ASSIGNOR '10 CORONA "I'YPEWBITER COMPANY, 1110., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPE-WBITIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Original application flied November 2, 1911, Serial No. 858.158. Divided and. this application iiled June 10,

V 1016. Serial No. 109,884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMIT G. LATTA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of S racuse, county of Onondaga, and State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

his invention relates more particularly to thc escapement mechanism of visible,collapsible or foldable writing machines, and is a division of my application Serial No. 658,153, filed Nov. 2, 1911.

One of the principal ob'ects of the invention is to provide a small compact, visible writing typewriter which is adapted to perform all the functions required of the larger and more expensive typewriters of the most approved design, and which is so constructed that the escapement mechanism may be moved with the carriage from a normal E erative position to a more compact one wit out an disconnection or separation of the parts orming the ,operative connection between said escapement mechanism and the universal bar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and ellicient rotary escapement for small foldable or collapsible typewriting machines.

Other obi ects of the invention are to provide a machine in which there is a complete separation between the type action and the universal bar and escalpement mechanism operated thereby; to provide simple means whereby the universal bar may be operated by the type-bars and which universal bar is so mounted that it may be moved from a normal operative position to an inoperative compact one; to provide a separated operative connection between the universal bar and the spacing means; to provide simple spacing means for operating the universal bar; and to provide a simple and eilicient non-separable 'escapement to adapt the machine to be made com actand to be" moved from a normal operative position to a. more compact one relatively to thetype action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient escapement which is very rapid in operation, and which is adapted for use for typewriters of various kinds and constructions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a writing machine in which the escapement mechanism and other arts are of simple construction and may be readily ma e and assembled.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, and will then be ointed out in the claims at the end of the escription.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of one form of machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section from front to rearlof the machine, showing a part of the frame, the case shift mechanism, and the spacin mechanism for operating the universal ar.

Fig.3 is a side elevation of the machine shown in a collapsed or compact condition.

Fig. 4 is a reer elcvation of theescapcment mechanism.

Fig. :7 is a fragmentary section, partly in elevation, of the universal bar, and means for operating the cscapoment.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section of a part of the means shown in Fig. 5. e

- Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan, partly broken away, showing the universal bar and the frame and parts at one side of the machine.

Fig. 8 is a detail front elevation of the escapement mechanism and the universal bar connected thereto.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section showing how the hold in a collapsed or in an extended operative condition; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan, partly in section, of a part of the chine, and is substantially a continuation of the side of the machine 5 own in Fig. 7.

While I have shown the invention as up plied more particularly to a writing machine in which the parts are collapsed or frames or frame parts are front of the marigid substantially folded in a particular manner, it will be understood that some of the parts. and particularly the special construction of escapement, mechanism, may be used in connection with various kinds of writing machines.

10 and 11 represent respectively the base or stationary frame part or section of the main frame and the movable frame part or section. Each of these paras consists of a rectangular frame, provided with suitab lugs or parts for the attachment of the various operative parts mounted thereon. The movable frame or part is preferably larger than and surrounds the stationary frame or part 10 and is pivotally connected thereto at its front end by pivots at opposite sides of the machine.

One of the pivots lZ which may be of any suitable construction, is shown in Figs. 3 and 10. The frames are connected at opposite sides by a pair of coil springs 14, Figs. 3 and 7. which tend to raise and support the movable frame. in the elevated position shown in Fig. 1. As shown, these springs are booked at their upper ends into lugs 15 projecting oiu'wardly from the sides of the stationary frame i and at their lower ends are hooli'cd .into inwardly projecting lugs 0n the, sides of the movable frame or frame to do.

part 11. These springs are preferably of sufficient strength to hold the movable frame with the parts mounted thereon in the elevated operative position when permitted so 16 represents two thumb screws on opposite sides of the machine which are seated in studs 17 on the sides of the movable frame and are adapted to be screwed into lower and upper screw threaded holes 18 in the sides of the stationary framc'lO. The. studs 17 are rigidly seated in the sides of the frame or frame part ll and are pro vidcd at llu-il' inner ends with circular flanges which engage and are adapted to slide in curved guides or slots 18 on the sides of the stationaiy frame 10. These slots or guides are concentric with the pivots for the movable frame or frame member 11. When travel horizontally crosswise of the machine on the rear portion of the movable frame or frame part 11. The carriage ma be of any suitable construction and may lie slidably mounted on the frame ll in any suitable manner. As shown the carriage consists of opposite end pieces or plates 21 and Q2 con nected at their front portion by a scale bar 23, at the rear by a rod or bar M'and at the bottom by a track or guide bar, consisting of two sections 25 and 26. These track bar sections are steel bars machined to the cross sectional shape shown. in Fig. l and are secured to each other and to the ends of the carriage by screws or otherwise, and the overlapping portions of the track sections are also secured together at intervals. .A grooved guide or track bar 27 is secured at suitable intervals by screws, not shown, in a recess in the rear cross bar 28 of the movable frame. This bar is machined to form opposable hall races and the carriage track bar extends into the grooved track bar 28, suitable anti-friction balls being interposed between the races in the bar 28 and complementary races formed in the front and rear edges of the sectional carriage track bar. This construction forms an anti-frictional ball bearing guide for the carriage of very compact construction which is required by reason of the limited space allowed for the carriage guide, and insures long life with the minimum friction in the track hearing. A platen 29 of the fisual 'or of any suitable construction is mounted in the carriage 20. It consists of a hollow body provided with a suitable surface or covering and secured by end plates 30 to a central shaft 30* which extends through the platen and is journaled at its ends in the ends of the carriage, said carriage being normally under the tension of a spring drum 30' mounted on the movable frame part 11 and tending to force the carriage along the track bar 27 in the usual way.

A number of type-bars 31 are. pivotally mounted in any suitable manner in front of the machine is shipped from the manufac sci-ting; the screws into the uppcnholcs 19,.

but it is preferableto-lock the frames or frame parts it) and 11 rigidly together by the screws if the machine is to be. used to any considerable extent.

The paper carriage 20 is mounted to and below the carriage on a supporting segment 32 mounted on the stationary frame 10. The. type-bars are arranged to swing upwardly and rearwardly to the platen and each bar has three characters, the supporting segment heinc mounted on a shift frame which is movable upwardly and downwardly from an internualiate position for placing one or another of the characters in printing relation with the platen. The segment 32 is shown as secured to a shift frame. 253. ()no case, shift may be employed instead of two in which case each type bar will have two characters instead of three.

The key actions for the typebars, may be formed of sheet metal stam )iugs. The key stems IH, 35 and 36 as clcarllv shown in Fig.

1, are made in three different forms for the three banks of keys and have downwardly extending )ortions pierced for shouldered rivets hv which they are pivoted to the front ends of supporting lovers 3? and 38, each stem being, pivoted to a pair of the lovers. These lev rs 37 and 8 are pivotally mount ed, preferably in slots in the upper and lower edges of a fulcrum l ar 39 which is rigidly connected at its ends in any suitable manner to the sides of lhestalionary frame. The rear ends of tilt key lovers 3? and 3 are connected by links ll; and 4-! which are of two forms, as; shown in l 'ig'. l. Clo-loin "of the key levers, preferably four at each end of the keyboard, are connected by the links 40 and all of the remaining levers of the series are connected by the links 41. The links it) used at the ends of the keyboard are made of difl'erent shapes than the other links, so as not to interfere with other parts of the machine at the sides thereof. The links 40 and 41 are connected to their re spectivc type-bars by long links 42, two of which are shown in Fig. 7. These links 42 are all of the amelcngth and embracethe parts [(1 which they are pivotally connected at their end. The links -12- at the center of the series are curved, as shown in Fig; 1,, so as not to strike the type-bar basket w en the segment is in itslower shifted position,

but the remaining links may be straight, if desired. The links 40 aremade alike, each with four rivet, holes, so that this form of link can be used for either of eight different places, but as there is very little difference in the elevation of the front ends of the links 42 where they connect to the links -11, there is not sullicient room to'makc these links with rivet holes for all connections with the links 42. The links 4-1 are made with the lowermost holes, and the other holes required for connection to the several links 42 are made at the. proper points in theseveral links. The type-liars and keyactions are returned to the normal positions by springs 43 and H which are attached to the lower keydcvcrs 38Tand to the front bar of the frame 10, as by the heads of screws acting as clamps. The springs with one execption as M are secured to the: under side of the front barjof the stationary fra1nc,'the spring -14 being secured to the upper side of the bar to make room to actuate one of the renter actions,

It will be observed that the keys 45 for the three banks are all connected to the levers.37 and 38 which are fulcrumed on the bar 39. This bar with the two fulcrum wires 46 for the lovers extends the full length of the keyboard and is the only part of the key action that requires nnlchining. This bar, as hereafter explained, also supports the space key, and as the other pelts may all be stmn 'nngs, the complete action can be made at a low cost. Except for a .the I machine.

few of the links at. the center of the series, the links 42 diverge forwardly from the typwhars owing to the greater length of the keyboard than of the segment. and the links it) and 4-1 are indicated as bent in rear of the k'eydevers 37 and 38, to extend in the direction of the links 42. The same result of a direct pull on the link. 42 could be ob taincd by bending the supporting key-operated levers 37 and 38 in rear of their ful- 76 crums. lhis action as a whole is unusually easy to operate, its touch and dip are almost cxal'tly uniform for the several keys, and

it enables the segment to be. located very low in the machine so that. the rear ends of 80 the links 42 barely clear the table on which the machine is used, the action thus materially assisting in reducing the height of The ke's are arranged in banks or groups and orm a universal or standard keyboard, and each type-bar is operated by an individual key.

The shift frame to which the type-bar segment is secured, is provided with forwardly and outwardly projecting arms 47 00 having upright front portions which are pivoted at their upper ends in any suitable manner to the rear ends of a. pair of sup-. porting links 48, and are pivoted in any suitable manner at their lower ends to the 05 rear ends of a pair of supporting arms 49. The links 48 are pivotally mounted at their front ends in any convenient way to lugs 50 on the stationary frame 10 and the arms 49 are rigidly attached at their front ends to a rock shaft 51 This rock shaft is suitably journalcd at its ends in the sides of the stationary frame or frame part 10 and the wntralpart of the rock shaft is curved downwardl in clear the central connecting 106 links 42 for the type-bars.

5:5 and 33 represent two shift levers. These shift levers, which are of bell crank form, are preferably pivoted side by side on a pivot Hri'ew :34- on one side of the frame 110 10. The lower ends of these lovers, see Figs.

1 and 2 are provided with curved cam slots 55 and In, acting on a. roller 57 suitably journaled on the adjacent side of the shift frame to more it up or down from its nor- 11!! mal intcrn'icdiate position shown in the drawings. The shift lovers are returned after movement up or down to the intermediate position by springs 58 which are oon- "(it'lltd to the shift levers and are anchored iii) at their front ends by adjusting eye bolts to the lug 59. The lug 50 limits the returnof the shift levers to the syn e normal position. As seen in Fig. 2, eaci cam slot acts to more the roller a certain distance in one 1" direction and to form a stop to hold it in normal position and prevent its movement in the opposite direction, and the sprin s 58 actuate. the cam lovers to restore t e roller and the shift frame to their central positions when the levers are. released. The weight. of the shift frame is preferably halanred by a spring, not shown.

5.) represents the type-ha r haskrt or back stop for the type-liars, ronsisting of a rurved metal strap and felt pad whirh is supported atits ends by arlns tit) whirh extend harkwardly and outwardly and are ronnerted to the upright portions of the arms of the shift frame.

The universal bar 61 is arranged to he struck by the type-liars as they approach the. platen and, as usual, is ronnerted to the rarriage eseapement, so as to rausea letter space movement of the rarriage each time a type-bar is actuated tomakr an impression.

he. universal bar consists of a rurved strip having two parallel rigidly ronneetrd rrarwardly extending arms 62 whirh are pivoted to the lower ends of two pairs of down wardly extending arms tilt and H. These arms are rigidly attarhed at their upper ends. to the ends of a pair of parallel rork shafts (i5 and (it; respertively whirh arr suit ably journaled to lugs on a lu-arhrt (37, the latter being secured in any suitable manner to the rear rross hair 2* ol' the movahhframe or part. ll. ()ne ol the arms (it, see, l igs. 5 and (i, has an auxiliary arm i8 pivoted thereto and extending; rearwardty to a. pivotal ronnrrtion with an upright. link 69 which is eonnerted at its upper end to the esrapement lever or (lop rarrier T0 of :1 rarriage esrapenient Tl, so that the esrapement isxietuated liy the operation of the universal ha A spring 71 eonnertrd to the arm til am to the hrarket (37 arts to hold the universal bar yieldingly in its normal position. 'lheumiversal har is arranged ahove. and substantially ronrentrir with the type-har segment in position to he slrnrk by the type ha rs in each of the three positions of lhe segment. ilhe. typehars strike the universal liar near. their longitudinal renters. The curved front edge. of the universal liar stands in a plane parallel with the type-bar segment and those parts of the type-bars which strike the universal bar are in a parallel plane at the time they rearh the printing point. This ronstrur ion not. only permits of the rompaet hnild of the. typewriter required, but produces a quick action ofthe universal baifand provides a construction in which the weaiis distributed between three ditl'erent points on both the typehars and the universal l):ll'.

72 represents the spare. key or Inn whirh. as usual is arranged at the Front central portion of the keylmard and may be fixed to three arms 73, see l igs. l and 2 whirh are pivoted on the fulrruin har it!) by the upper wire pivot Hl for the key-levers. A lever 74. Fig. 2. fulrrumed on the lower pivot wire 4G for the key-levers is ronnerled by a link 75 to the central arm 73. A spring 76 eonneeting the outer end of the lever 74 to the inper end of the arm 73 serves to hold the spare key in its normal position and return it to this position when released after dnpression. An upright space lever 77, Fig. 2. is pivoted lietwern its ends on a lirarket serured to the renter of the t vpr-har segment. The lower end ol this lever is ronneeted by a link or rod 79 to the rear end of the lever 74 and the upper end of the lever 74 normally stands just in Front of the universal har til and exlends high enough to strike the universal bar in all three positions of the shift Frame and segment. The art. of depressing the spaee har l'orres the upper end of the lever 77 against. the universal harand trips the esrapeluent. The spare lever 77 is supported ll the lilll llltll' V frame or part i while the universal liar is mounted on the movalilr frame or part It. the arrange ment. of the part la-ing nrh that when the m arhine is rollap rd the upper end of the pare le\er doe not projert aliove the plane ol' the upper part of the platen. The spare lever 77 and the parts ronnretiug it to the segment and pare liar are omitted from Fig. l. uhere the uouhl naturally appear, in order not to ronipliratr the figure and 0b; srure other parts thereof. .\s indieated I13" the rurved line VI/ -*II/ Fig. I. when the mil rliine is rolla sed the universal bar 61 nioveg downwardly at the rear of the shift frame and srgnu-nt without interferenre.

'lhe rarriage. esraprnient romprises a. toothed wheel 78 and the lever or dog rarrier 70 whirh is ronnerted to the upper end of the link (it \\'l'l0IPl) it is operated h the universal liar. The eseapement is loeated dirertly in the rear of the platen and under the paper tahlr. shown at 79. and the (is rapement wheel is arranged in front of the feed pinion 80 with the hearing for the es rapeinent wheel and teed pinion lorated between these parts. said pinion R0 meshing with the. feed rark St)" mounted on the carriage in any desired way. The bearing for the esra wnient wheel and pinion consists of a. shouldered sleeve 81 screwed into a hole in the hrarket (i7 and having a central rib forming: a douhle hall race for two annular rows of balls. The esrapement wheel has a conical rentral hole seated on the cone head of a shaft 92 and is locked thereto by screwing an inner rone 83 up against the wheel. The opposing: rone is formed integrally with the feed pinion 80 and this cone and pinion are lorked to the shaft by a jam nut and washer or other securing means. A hearing: ol any other suitable sort for the esrapement wheel and feed pinion could be employed. lhe-esrapeinent lever or dog rarrier is lorated over the eseapement wheel and is loosely mounted on its pivot 94 to have a limited lengthwise movement. a slot being provided for this purpose.

III

.mon to The lever or dog carrier has a tooth or dog adapted normally to engage the teeth of the wheel 78 and a tooth or dog 86 which acts to prevent the wheel 78 from moving a greater distance thaira single tooth. Figs. 4 and 8 show the lever 70-in holding position with the lever forced to the left (right as seen in Fig. 4) and as soon as the dog 85 of the lover or dog carrier is released from the tooth of the escapement wheel a spring 87 acts to draw the lever to the right and the dog or tooth 86 is moved into )osition to engage a tooth of said wheel. lie object of this spring and lengthwise movement of the lever 70 is to guard against the rengagement of the lever with the same tooth of the wheel before the carriage driving spring has overcome the inertia of the carriage and started the escapement wheel, as might happen in case a very light tensioned driving spring was,

used.

It will thus be evident that the platen carriage, escapement mechanism and universalbar are completely separated from the type action, and that in the collapsing or extensible condition of the machine no separation or disconnection of any kind is required between the univrssal bar and the escapement mechanism. It is further evident that the escapement mechanism, platen carriage and the parts directly connected to the escape ment mechanism for operating the same are all mounted upon a movable main frame part relatively to the key and type action, which is mounted upon another main frame part; and that while theframe parts are shown hinged together, and certain parts mounted upon one frame part and other parts mounted upon another frame part, such arrangement, while desirable, is not necessaril essential, and the frame parts, instead 0 being hinged together, may either one of them be relatively movable in other directions instead of up and down, by reason of the hinged connection.

While a special .form of type action, case shift, and other are not specifical 'claimed herein as they form no part of t e present invention, and it will be understood that suitable ribbon mechanism and other ating with the platen and carriage and comtypewriting machines are employed such parts are neither shown nor claime herein, as the present invention has refer ence more particlarly'to the escapement mechanism and t e construction, mounting and combination of such mechanism and the feed mechanism generally with other parts of a writing mac ine.

Having thus'described my invention, I claim as new ad desire to secure by Letters Patent i 1. In a visible typewriting machine, the

, the platen carriage.

arts are shown, such parts,

parts usually coopen.

combination of a universal keyboard, type operated by individual keys forming a part of the keyboard, a support, a carriage adapted to move along said support, a tension drum tending normally to force the carriage 70 along the support, escapement mechanism including a rack, a pinion, a toothed wheel, a dog carrying lever, all mounted upon the support and adapted with the support and carriage to be moved from a normal oper- 76 ative position to an inoperative and more compact one at the rear of the type, and a universal bar operativel connected to the dog carrier and mounte upon the su port to partake of the compact support and the carriage.

2. In a visible typewriting machine, the combination of a universal keyboard, typebars operated by individual keys forming a part of the keyboard, a support, a platen B5 carriage adapted to move along said support, a tension drum tending normally to force the carriage alon the support, escapement mechanism inclu ing a rack, a pinion, a toothed wheel, a dog carrying lever, all 90 mounted upon the support and adapted with the support and platen carriage to be moved from a normal operative position to an inoperative and more compact one at the rear of the type-bars, and a universal bar adapted to be moved by the type-bars and operatively connected to the dog-carrier and mounted upon the support to partake of the compact movement of said support and 3. In a visible typewriting machine, the combination of a type action, inc uding a universal keyboard having keys to operate individual type, a'platen carria'ge t'oldable from a normaloperative position to a more compact and inoperative one, tension means for the carriage, a toothed wheel, a dog carrier having means to engage the toothed wheel, a pinion, a rack engaged by said pinion, a universal bar adapted to be moved during the movement of the type While printing, arms connected to the universal bar, and links connecting said arms to the dog carrier, all mounted to partake of the compact movement of the carriage. J '4. In a compactible typewriting ma hine, the combination of a two-part support, 0113 part constituting a base frame member an the other being pivoted to the base frame member and normally extending upwardly/r above the rear part of the base member, a platen carriage, a platen, a rack, a feed pinion, a rotary escapement wheel, a controlling pawl for said escapement wheel, an operating element connected to said control ling pawl, all of said elements being mounted on the pivoted frame part, key actuated means mounted in the base frame part and adapted to engage the escapement operating element, thepivoted member of the supmovement 0. said 80 

